YOUR VIEW: The Republican Party has failed Alabama - The Birmingham News - al.com (blog)

By holding a victory party at a gun range, The Alabama Republican Party is finally giving Scott Beason an opportunity to empty the barrel; the Republican Party has failed Alabama.

By passing voter ID laws to disenfranchise poor and elderly voters, the Republican controlled State Legislature has failed to protect the rights and privileges of all Alabamians

In allowing a strip mine to open in Shepard Bend on the Warrior River, just above an intake for the Birmingham Water Works, Governor Bentley and The Alabama Republican Party has failed Alabama

By passing an anti immigration bill that was destined to fail in the courts and cost Alabama taxpayers millions of dollars in lawyer fees and government waste, the Republican controlled State Legislature has failed the citizens of Alabama in its promise to reduce the size of government.

With the entire Alabama Republican delegation to the US Congress voting against the Lilly Ledbetter law, the Republican Party of Alabama failed the women in the State of Alabama.

When U.S. Representative Spencer Bachus decided to short sell stocks as the economy faltered, he bet against America and put his own personal worth ahead of his oath to the citizens of Alabama. Spencer Bachus and the Republican Party have failed the State of Alabama.

By making political appointments to the Alabama Public Television Commission that have their own private agenda, Governor Bentley and the Alabama Republican Party has failed Alabama.

With Richard Shelby pushing for 4.7 billion in funding for the northern beltline, instead of trying to fix existing infrastructure, the Alabama Republican Party has failed Alabama.

By forcing the Alabama public to help balance the State budget, the Republican Party of Alabama has failed the State.

With several members of the State Republican Party calling conserving Alabama wildlife a luxury, the Alabama Republican Party has failed Alabama.

"Doctor" Bentley was not the Republican Party's first choice two years ago. They have held every state wide position except for Lucy Baxley at the Public Service Commission, and yet the unemployment rate in Alabama remains among the highest in the country. The Alabama Republican Party has failed the State of Alabama.

Roy Moore for Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court. The Alabama Republican Party has failed the State of Alabama.

I could keep this list going on for several more pages, but I think you get the point. From our senior member in Congress to the our junior members like Slade Blackwell, the Alabama Republican Party has failed the State of Alabama in so many ways.

Mark Chambers

Birmingham

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Santorum: I'm conservative candidate for Alabama

PELHAM, Ala. (AP) — Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum appealed Thursday for votes in Alabama's upcoming primary, calling the state the "heart of conservatism" and casting himself as the best fit for its voters.

During appearances in the Birmingham suburb of Pelham and earlier in Huntsville, the former Pennsylvania senator said he was the true conservative presidential candidate who would present the best contrast to Democratic President Barack Obama in November. His campaign hoped wins here and Mississippi, as well as Saturday's contest in Kansas, would push rival Newt Gingrich from the race and leave Santorum as the leading alternative to front-runner Mitt Romney.

The former Massachusetts governor is too moderate and too much like Obama, having enacted a state health care package that became the model for Obama's national overhaul, Santorum said. Rival Newt Gingrich also has backed health insurance mandates, he said.

"Why would this area of the country put forward a candidate that gives away the most important issue in this election?" Santorum said in a crowded banquet room at a civic building. With his arms spread wide, he added: "There's one option not to give it away."

"We believe in you!" a woman called from the back of the room earlier.

"Unlike President Obama, I believe in you," Santorum said to loud applause.

Santorum was waging a campaign on two fronts: to emerge over Gingrich as conservatives' preferred alternative to Romney, and to derail Romney's march toward the GOP presidential nomination. He told reporters before a late speech in Mobile that strong showings in Alabama and in Mississippi were key to that plan.

"If we can finish first or second in Mississippi and Alabama on Tuesday, that will be a big win for us and hopefully get this race down to two candidates," he said.

"Then we can, again, make the case that there's one conservative who can win in every other place in this country, that has earned the right to take on Gov. Romney, one-on-one, and give conservatives a chance to coalesce around one person to able to win this nomination for the conservative cause."

Santorum and Gingrich were both campaigning hard to win Southern states that will vote in the coming days.

Gingrich has just two wins to his credit: South Carolina and his home state of Georgia. His spokesman said that Gingrich must win the next Southern contests to justify a continued campaign.

In Huntsville, Santorum drew big ovations from hundreds gathered at a state-owned museum with calls for increased federal spending on defense and space programs and less spending on social welfare programs.

Standing under a Saturn V rocket hanging from the roof of the U.S. Space and Rocket Center, he recalled watching the moon landing as a child. He also praised Huntsville's importance to the Apollo missions and NASA in general.

"As an American, I want to say thank you, Huntsville," Santorum said. "Thank you for the work you've done."

Forty-seven Republican convention delegates are at stake in Alabama's Republican primary on Tuesday. Romney visits Alabama on Friday. Gingrich visited earlier in the week, including a stop at the space museum.

Decatur resident Robert Couey, who attended both space center events, said Thursday that he doesn't support Romney and contended that Romney isn't conservative enough. Couey said he likes Santorum, adding that he thinks Gingrich has been inconsistent on issues.

"He speaks with conviction," Couey said of Santorum. "Gingrich is intelligent. He has the background but look at ... all the things he's said."

Huntsville resident Gay Nyberg said she is down to deciding between Santorum and Gingrich. Romney, she said, isn't for her.

"I think the other guy is not a true conservative," she said, "and I don't know that I can trust him to represent me."

___

Associated Press writer Philip Elliott in Mobile, Ala., contributed to this report.

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Rick Perry speaking at Alabama GOP dinner (Daily Caller)

Texas Gov. Rick Perry is keynoting a Republican Party event in Alabama this summer.

The political world continues to keep a close eye on Perry as he’s indicated he’s taking a look at running for president in 2012.

(Sources: Rick Perry is running)

He’s addressing the Alabama Republican Party’s Summer Dinner and Meeting on August 12, according to an invitation.

Perry is being hosted by Gov. Robert Bentley. The event will be held at the Renaissance Ross Bridge Resort & Spa in Birmingham.

The event notes that Perry is speaking in his capacity as chairman of the Republican Governors Association.

(Hutchison: The Obama administration has an anti-Texas bias)

“We approached Governor Perry’s office about being our keynote speaker, though this was before there were any serious rumors about him running for President,” said Shana Kluck, the communications director for the state party.

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